2. "Not what you want to hear,
but what you need to know"
3. Nosocomial Infections
Hospital Acquired Infections
Infection in a hospitalized patient who was
admitted for a reason other than that infection
Not present or incubating on admission
Occurring up to 30 days after discharge
4. Some Statistics for HAI:
•Affects approximately 10% of all in-patients
• Delays discharge
• Costs two times more than if there is no infection
• Direct cause of deaths
5.
6.
7. MRSA
Methicillin-Resistant
StaphylococcusAureus
Hosptial Acquired Infections
And
Community Acquired Infections
14. How to Avoid Infections
Do not go to the hospital
unless you
Are badly injured
or very ill
15. How to Avoid Infections
Do not go to the hospital
Unless someone
Who is dependent on You
For assistance
Is hospitalized
16.
17. How to Avoid Infections
LIMIT VISITORS
OR
NO VISITORS
18. How to Avoid Infections
If you go to a hospital
For any reason,
Take a shower and
Change your clothes
When you get home
19. How to Avoid Infections
Insist on Handwashing
By Visitors
By Staff
By Physicians
20.
21. Predisposing Factors
To Get an HAI
Age
Sex (Females after cardiac surgery)
Severity of Illness
Other medical conditions
Immunosuppressive Compromised
Malnutrition
Obesity
22. Other Factors
That Increase Risk of an HAI
More sick patients are admitted
More invasive procedures
New microorganisms
Increasing bacterial resistance to
antibiotics
23. The problem of HAI
USA
– Urinary tract infections: 2.4 per 100 admissions
– Pneumonia: 1 case per 100 admissions
– Surgical site infections: 2.8 per 100 operations
– One death every 6 minutes
Norway
– One of 19 patients admitted will develop a HAI
24. Cost of NCI
Extra days in hospital:
Urinary tract infections: 6
Pneumonia: 12
Surgical site infections: 7
27. The Inanimate Environment
Can Facilitate Transmission
Xrepresents VRE culture positive sites
~ Contaminated surfaces increase cross-transmission~
28. Where Do The
Microbes Come From?
patient's own flora
cross infection from medical personnel
cross infection from patient to patient
hospital environment- inanimate objects
-
29. Spread of Infection
Airborne
Sneezing
Coughing
Air ventilation systems
Air conditioners
30. Sometimes an illness is passed to others by a carrier, or a person who has been
infected by a germ but does not look or feel sick. This person may carry the germ
in their nose, throat, or stomach. They can pass the germ to others by coughing,
sneezing, or by not washing their hands properly.
32. Spread of Infection
Indirect Contact
Bedpans, Urinals
Remember the X’s on previous photo
33. HAI Urinary Tract Infections
Prevention
Limit length of time to have catheter
Drink plenty of water
When walking with catheter hold or
keep the bag mid-thigh or lower
34. HAI Post-Operative
Prevention
Cough
Deep Breathing Exercises
Get out of bed and WALK
35. HAI IV Catheter
Prevention
Immediately contact the nurse:
Redness
Burning
Pain
Hot to touch
Cold to touch
Swelling at the site
36. Many People Don’t Realize When
They Have Germs on Their Hands
• You can get 100s to 1000s of bacteria on your
hands by doing simple tasks like:
– Assisting patients up in bed
– Touching hands
– Touching any object in the room
– Touching the patient’s gown or bed sheets
– Do Not forget Door Knobs
37. Hand Washing is Important
Because…
• 80% of disease is spread by your hands.
• Hand washing is the most effective way to
prevent the spread of respiratory illness.
• Some germs can live on dry surfaces for
several hours and moist surfaces
like, sinks for 3 days.
38. Hand Hygiene
is the single most
effective intervention
to reduce the
cross transmission of
HAI infections
39. Visible soiling
Hands that are visibly soiled or
potentially grossly contaminated
with dirt or organic material
MUST by washed with liquid
soap and water
40. Alcohol Hand Rubs
• Require less time
• Can be strategically placed
• Readily accessible
• Multiple sites
• All patient care areas
42. Hand hygiene is the
simplest, most effective
measure for preventing
hospital-acquired
infections.
43.
44. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
When it comes to our health care, we patients
must be sure we understand exactly what the
risks and benefits are to any form of test or
treatment before we give consent.
Begin with, “Doctor, let me make sure I
understand….” Then restate what the doctor
just told you. If the doctor corrects you, then
restate it again until you know you have it right.
45.
46. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
You will need to be able to:
Listen and take notes
Research your condition
Ask intelligent questions
If you are not able to advocate for yourself,
don’t be too embarrassed to ask for help.
47. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
Don't wait to be asked.
Most patients are too overcome to think about what
they need.
They may not know what they need, and they may
feel embarrassed.
48. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
Ask questions politely:
Ask for staff to use another needle if they have
already poked you with it.
Ask staff to wash their hands before they help you.
Ask staff to wear gloves.
49. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
Ask questions politely:
Ask for your room or bathroom to be cleaned. Be specific
if there is a problem.
Ask for a blanket to be placed on the wheelchair before
you sit in it.
Ask for a blanket to be placed in the chair in your room
before you sit on the chair.
50. BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE
Get copies of all tests.
Before you leave, be sure ask the doctor for copies of
all tests. They won't offer them, so you need to ask.
Having them is tremendously helpful when visiting
other doctors.
In Panama, you are responsible to get all of your
laboratory, x-rays and other test results. They are not
automatically sent to your physician.
51. WHAT IS THE CONNECTION OF
ANTIBIOTIC USE TO HAI?
• High prevalence of resistant bacterial
strains present in the hospital
• High capacity of bacteria to mutate to
resistant strains
• Misuse and overuse of antibiotics
52. Viruses
• cause most common respiratory
illnesses, such as colds and coughs
• cause a variety of infections
• may take 2-3 weeks to resolve completely
• some viruses can be prevented by vaccines
and immunizations
• antibiotics do not work for viruses
53. Bacteria
• make you sick when they are where they
don’t belong or grow more rapidly than
normal
• live in your mouth, nose and throat
• are necessary for normal body functions like
digestion
• are one of the oldest living things on Earth
54. Antibiotic Resistant
Bacteria Are:
Bacteria that mutate and are able to
resist the antibiotics that are meant to
kill them.
This is a normal process speeded up by
the overuse and misuse of antibiotics.
8
55. Why is Antibiotic Misuse
a Problem?
1. Antibiotics become less effective and may not
work the next time you use them.
2. Improper use of antibiotics leads to more
antibiotic resistant bacteria.
3. Antibiotic resistant bacteria can be spread
throughout the community and from person to
person.
7
56. Support Appropriate
Antibiotic Use In Panama!
Everyone Can Help Keep Antibiotics Working
• By using antibiotics only when needed
• Following good hygiene practices
57.
58. What to Expect When You Are Ready
To Be Discharged from the Hospital
Without all of the professional medical help
you have a better chance of recovery
You will be home with all of your familiar
germs
59. At Home Prevention Tips
for After Surgery:
Take a Good Multivitamin
Drink lots of water
Eat lots of protein if there is no
contraindication
Fruits and Veggies are helpful to prevent
problems with constipation
60. At Home Prevention Tips
for After Surgery:
Get Plenty of Rest
ASAP & with MDs ok – Get up and do
some walking around the house
Limit your VISITORS
61. At Home Prevention Tips
for After Surgery:
Take your pain medication as prescribed by
your physician
DO NOT try to be brave and hold back
from controlling your pain
It takes more medicine to control pain if
you wait too long
62.
63. Warning Signs of a
Possible Infection:
Fever
Redness at the surgical site or injury
Heat at the surgical site or inury
64. Warning Signs of a
Possible Infection:
Shortness of Breath
Nausea and Vomiting
Generalized weakness
65. What to Do if You Think
You Have and Infection:
Contact your physician
66. What to Do if You Think
You Have and Infection:
• Always take antibiotics exactly as prescribed
• Finish the whole prescription - do not stop when
you feel better
• Never save antibiotics for a future illness – or
share with others
• Do not take your friends pills or any old
antibiotics hanging around your home. They
may not work for that specific germ.
10
67. What to Do if You Think
You Have and Infection:
Take a marker and outline the borders of
the redness noted.
This will allow you to see if your antibiotic
is working.
10
68.
69. Summary
Hospital Pathogen Unhappy Unhappy
patients director
Hospital Surveillance Happy Happy
Patients director